Harold Park community brainstorm

by Marie Sansom, Sydney Central

"About 250 people gathered at St Scholastica’s College, Glebe, last Tuesday to discuss the future of the Harold Park site, one of the largest in the Inner West.

Their responses will flow back to Sydney Council and the Central Sydney Planning Committee, which will decide the site’s future.

Harness Racing NSW plans to move to Menangle and the club has put Harold Park up for sale, expecting it to raise at least $150 million.

When locals were asked to come up with a grand plan for the site, certain themes were raised repeatedly including: maximising public open space; making the site accessible; keeping building heights and densities to an acceptable level; and rejuvenating the tram sheds. There was little enthusiasm for any retail, above what would serve those living there.

While there was broad support for housing, many people highlighted the need to consider traffic, parking and public transport links. The site is near a light rail station but there is a steep hill leading up to Glebe Point Rd.

There was also enthusiasm for any homes to be sustainable, and for the site to become a hub for creative industries and artists. Other suggestions included community gardens, a city farm and bird habitat.

There will be more consultation later this year."

Read the full article from Sydney Central here.

No "mindless grass" for Harold Park

by Gemma Battenbough, Architecture & Design

The highly sensitive Harold Park raceway site in Sydney’s suburb of Glebe is being sold and yesterday marked the start of public consultation for the development of planning controls.

There will be “enormous pressure” on the developers to include some public space, councillor Meridith Burgmann said, and that space needs to be “more thoughtful”.

“The public space can’t be more mindless grass with big trees,” Burgmann told Architecture & Design. “There is a lot of that down on the point and residents really need something a bit more interesting.”

One suggestion gaining momentum is to create a city farm similar to those in Perth and Yarra that could act as a tourist attraction for school children and utilize the existing light rail infrastructure.

The old tram sheds could be turned into pig pens and cow sheds and also house composting facilities, Burgmann said.

The site will be earmarked for high-density residential development, she said.

“It seems to me that the Harold Park site is so big that you could get quite a lot of urban consolidation without it being too offensive.”

Allowing dense development would give the City of Sydney licence to be “quite forceful” in its demands for public space. “I’m trying to make sure it is more thoughtful public space, rather than just yet another park,” Burgmann said.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP said the first consultation meeting will give interested residents the opportunity to find out more about the site, the City's role and the planning process.

"The Harold Park site is of significant value to the community and includes important heritage items and links to surrounding parks," Moore said.

"The challenge ahead of us is to develop planning controls that balance opportunities for public benefit with the site owner's expectations of financial returns."

Planning principles including housing diversity, open space, sustainable transport, and heritage will be considered in preparing the controls."

Read the full article from Architecture & Design here.

Harold Park Paceway goes back to council

by Paul Bibby, Urban Affairs Reporter, The Sydney Morning Herald

"IS IT a resident-friendly planning decision, or a cynical ploy to shore up votes in the inner west? That is what is being asked in the cafes of Glebe and Annandale after a decision by the Planning Minister, Kristina Keneally to hand significant planning powers over the Harold Park Paceway to the community.

Harold Park is in the seat held shakily by the Education Minister, Verity Firth, and had been at the centre of a row ever since its owners attempted to push through a rezoning proposal in pursuit of fast cash earlier this year.

Residents saw red when the NSW Harness Club tried to bypass the City of Sydney council by asking Ms Keneally, to use her Part 3A powers to make decisions over its 10.5-hectare site. They say a decision to call in the development would have had serious electoral consequences.

But their anger turned to joy this week when Ms Keneally rejected the Harness Club's application and handed responsibility to the council and the Central Sydney Planning Committee. Ms Keneally said her decision was based solely on the council's promise it could complete the planning process in a timely manner.

The Mayor of Leichhardt, Jamie Parker, said: "The only reason the Government has turned around and decided to engage with the community on this is the political risk to their local member of parliament in the next election."

The Government's decision last October to transfer Callan Park to Leichhardt Council was widely interpreted as an attempt to save Ms Firth from defeat. Meanwhile, Glebe residents and the City of Sydney are enjoying the spoils of victory.

The council has begun the rezoning process, and while the government-dominated Central Sydney Planning Committee and Ms Keneally will have the final say, the council is talking about providing employment opportunities, public space, and housing to meet targets for its Sustainable Sydney 2030 vision.

"Harold Park is an important site to the community," the Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore, said yesterday."

Read the full article from the SMH here.

Locals want police HQ to stay in Glebe

by Marie Sansom, The Glebe

"GLEBE locals are opposing plans to move Leichhardt police command’s headquarters out of their suburb, one of the district’s worst crime trouble spots. NSW Police has made several offers to buy land from Leichhardt Council to build a larger, modern local command centre with more parking space. ... Police aim to move by 2010 and are still searching for sites."

Read the full article from The Glebe here.

Now it’s over, let’s get back to business

by Marie Sansom, The Glebe

"GLEBE Point Rd business owners are pinning their hopes on Christmas trading to claw back some of the money they’ve lost from the roadworks. The $15 million upgrade, which is now largely finished, started in November last year and many businesses have suffered a 50-to-80 per cent drop in trade because of it. Road closures stopped deliveries and made the suburb a no-go area with taxi drivers.
Some shopkeepers suggested Sydney Council pay them a Christmas bonus to compensate.
Beverleigh Greentree, from Mags of Glebe has festooned her shop with tinsel, mirror balls and colour.
“I’ve tried to make the shop bright and happy,” Ms Greentree said.
She hopes the upgrade will be worth it in the long run.
“But we’ve lost a lot of money. Some days I didn’t take anything,” she said. “It’s going to take a lot to get Glebe back on the map because the road has been blocked totally for six months.”
Newsagent Miki Liu hopes things will improve now the roadworks are almost finished.
“Probably business will come back, hopefully things will get back to normal,” Ms Liu said."Maybe it will get better by Christmas.”
British Sweet Shop owner Andy Adams leased a Camperdown storage unit to get his stock during the roadworks.
“You just couldn’t park. Suppliers refused to come here,” Mr Adams said.
His trade plummeted by 50 per cent and he had to cut opening hours, but he’s hopeful Glebe has turned a corner.
“The street fair was good for business and letting people know that Glebe has reopened again. It was just the pain and suffering each of us had to go through.
“It seemed to go on and on. I don’t think they put enough men on the job.”
A Sydney Council spokesman said there was only minor work left: removing overhead power lines, footpath repair, tree planting and parking signs. It was finished ahead of schedule with the official date being April next year. “It will create a strong and clear identity for Glebe Point Rd, reinforcing its role as the local high street ... an environment in which local businesses can flourish,” he said."

Read the full article from The Glebe here.

You can take a street upmarket …

by Joseph Palmer for The Heckler Column,
The Sydney Morning Herald

"THE upgrade and makeover of Glebe Point Road in Glebe has been a slow work-in-progress, that has dragged on for more than 15 months, despite claims the project is now three months ahead of schedule.
The grandiose vision to transform the battered old road into something like Oxford Street in Paddington - after decades of neglect - will soon be a reality.
The barriers and fences recently came down, but strolling along the road I wondered if it had all been worthwhile.
Some time ago I recall that the good burghers of Glebe were told that there were too many tacky shops on the road peddling inexpensive wares and merchandise, shops such as the discount store, which were competing with big retailers at the nearby Broadway mall.
A makeover to revitalise the road was urgently needed to attract the kind of upmarket boutiques and concept stores that line Oxford Street, and no cost would be spared.
The visionary project has involved the removal of old power poles and "once in a century" drainage improvements. Even the old tram lines were dug out. But now the character of the old road has gone and many empty shops display "for lease" signs. It is sad to see.
Using the road during the upgrade was a nightmare - like tackling an obstacle course, and to be avoided at all costs.
Many owners complained about losing trade, just as shops in the city had been affected by street upgrades before the Olympics. But they were told they should be grateful as their revenue would increase dramatically when everything was finished. Many could not wait that long and closed.
Gone are long established businesses such as one of Sydney's first and largest health food supermarkets. It had been there for more than 35 years.
Other businesses took advantage of the upgrade and moved in, including a fast-food chicken outlet, although somehow I don't think it was part of the vision for an upmarket shopping strip. Maccas might be next.
The flower pots hanging from the new poles are nice, and hopefully the council will one day install CCTVs, something that shop owners have wanted for years to deter the street crime that infests the road at night.
But for all the losses, at least the discount store continues to peddle its wares."

Read the full article from The Sydney Morning Herald here.

A tradition lost on Sydney Harbour

by Dugald Jellie, The Sydney Morning Herald

"AT NOON today a pilot launch will ease from the grey-weathered wharf at Watsons Bay and round the Heads for the last time, to bring in the final blunt-bowed car carrier to Sydney. It will be the end of a nautical history that is as old as the city itself.
Harbour pilots are stopping operations at Watsons Bay, ending an association they have had, in fair weather or foul, since before even 1813, when this little nook was named after one of their own. Robert Watson was the Watson of Watsons Bay, appointed by Governor Macquarie as the colony's first harbourmaster and pilot.
"It's a sad day," says Ross Janssen, a cutter-master, as he ferries a pilot from the jetty, five nautical miles out to sea to board an incoming vessel.
"It's a tradition lost. We've had pilotage running out of here since when they rowed them off the beach in whale boats. But with the downturn in shipping, it's no longer viable."
Sydney Ports said the service would move to Millers Point, and probably next year to a new centre at Botany Bay. The last car ship is to leave Glebe Island tonight. ..."

Read the full article from The Sydney Morning Herald here.

Revealed: Sydney's Open secret

by Cameron Houston, Jason Dowling and Sherrill Nixon, The Sydney Morning Herald

"SYDNEY has launched a secret bid to pinch the jewel in Melbourne's major events calendar - the Australian Open.
Its audacious pitch for the Grand Slam tennis tournament includes a plan to build a multi-million-dollar stadium at Glebe Island when the harbour site - now filled with cars - is closed to stevedores.
But it will be up against stiff competition from overseas, with Shanghai, Dubai and Abu Dhabi all mounting campaigns to host a Grand Slam event when Melbourne's contract expires in 2016.
The Australian Open is one of several major events NSW hopes to steal as it reinvigorates its focus on tourism, after a series of damning reports found it was losing visitors and attractions to other states.
The State Government has poured millions of dollars into rebuilding "Brand Sydney" - including the formation of the $85 million Events NSW body - after it was blasted for becoming complacent after the Olympics.
Events NSW's chief executive, Geoff Parmenter, confirmed Sydney's interest in the event, which is worth more than $100 million to Victoria's economy. ..."

Read the full article from The Sydney Morning Herald here.

Demand on CBD fringe strong

By Carolyn Cummins, The Sydney Morning Herald

"WITH the redevelopment of the southern end of the central business district, fringe areas such as Glebe are benefiting from new infrastructure and expanded commercial offerings such as the Broadway shopping centre and the planned $2 billion Fraser Property project.
The accelerated development of residential buildings in the area has led to a rise in commercial values of about 30 per cent over the past two years to $6000 per square metre, while leasing rates have grown 25 per cent to $550 sqm. The vacancy rate is about 5 per cent.
Property developers say that, with many of the historic buildings in the suburb transformed to residential apartments and spare land becoming scarce, commercial property is proving to be in strong demand, especially on Glebe Point Road.
One such site is the former Valhalla cinema and another is the Glebe Post Office.
Portfolio Realty is offering 252 sqm of office space in the Glebe Post Office for rental at $280 a square metre, while the former Valhalla complex has been transformed into a commercial office complex, with 42 work studios, while retaining the existing shops and lobby.
The Valhalla studios have been developed by W Property.
David Brown, principal of the selling agent DB Property, said there has been strong demand from small service companies keen to buy and lease space in these types of buildings. ..."

Read the full article from The Sydney Morning Herald here.

New inner-city housing project for Glebe

"The New South Wales Government and the City of Sydney Council have announced they will jointly develop 700 new homes in the inner Sydney suburb of Glebe.
NSW Housing Minister Matt Brown says the houses will be a mixture of public and private home units covering a 3.6-hectare site.
He says some of the units will be set aside for essential workers.
"We really are wanting to have a mix that is public housing, social housing where we have key workers, nurses, police, and the like, so they don't have to travel long distances from the suburbs to work in the city," he said.
The Sydney Chamber of Commerce has welcomed the $260 million project, saying Sydney businesses cannot afford low-income workers to be priced out of Sydney.
The chamber's executive director, Patricia Forsythe, said in a statement that future housing needs will be increasingly meet by brownfield developments.
"It's pleasing to see a commitment from [State] Government and city council to rejuvenating key sites in close proximity to the CBD," she said."

Read the article from ABC News here.

Also see the article in the Sydney Morning Herald here.

Boarding house sacrificed to apartments development

By Sunanda Creagh, The Sydney Morning Herald
"A GLEBE boarding house will be turned into multimillion-dollar waterfront apartments after the State Government lifted a ban on redeveloping the site.
The eight-room Mary Street house, which fronts Blackwattle Bay, was previously covered by State Environmental Planning Policy 10, a law that prohibits redevelopment of low-cost housing.
But the Planning Department recently granted the owner an exemption. The owner has permission to build a car park and three apartments. The house's two tenants will be evicted in less than 60 days.
A City of Sydney Greens councillor, Chris Harris, is furious that the exemption was granted. "The place is in reasonable condition. It's rentable. But the end result is we will lose eight pieces of cheap accommodation close to the city because of a decision by the Planning Minister. Affordable housing is meant to be protected by SEPP 10 and clearly it's really easy to get out of."
A spokesman for the Department of Planning said the exemption was granted because the boarding house was regarded as not financially viable according to specific guidelines. ..."

Read the full article from The Sydney Morning Herald here.

One corporate gulp and those old treats are gone

by Lisa Pryor, The Sydney Morning Herald

"It is about to become harder to find butterfly cakes, chocolate eclairs and cream puffs in the city, with a cherished cake shop forced out of the Strand Arcade by rising rents.

And Glebe may soon lose the popular Badde Manors Cafe, which is due to be auctioned off this month, after 23 years.

At the Strand Arcade, the owner of Boronia Patisserie, Sue-Ellen Lawson, is concerned that more small operators will be forced out of the Pitt Street retail area as it is swallowed up by two big landlords, Ipoh and Westfield.

The city is awash with espresso, muffins and friands but as shops like the Boronia Patisserie close it is becoming harder for city workers to find treats that were once Australian staples, such as iced cupcakes and Anzac biscuits.

"We offered more the home-baked or the old-fashioned kind of products, and people like to have that every day, not the glamorous-looking or the more sophisticated expensive items," Ms Lawson said.

The staff of the Boronia Patisserie spent Friday farewelling customers who have been visiting the shop for the past decade.

"It was very busy. A lot of regulars came in. A lot of them brought presents and flowers for the girls."

In Glebe, Badde Manors Cafe has been a gathering place for locals and Sydney University students for more than 20 years but that could soon change. The building and business is due to be auctioned off on September 23.

The owner, Robert Sebes, estimated that the cafe had served more than 3 million coffees since it opened in 1982. Some prospective buyers had shown an interest in continuing the cafe business, but there was a real risk of closure, he said."

Read the full article from The SMH here.

Coming soon, Valhalla remade as office space

By Sunanda Creagh , The Sydney Morning Herald
"THE old Valhalla cinema in Glebe is likely to be turned into office space, despite objections to the proposal.
The City of Sydney's acting director of city planning, Giovanni Cirillo, has recommended the council approve the conversion of the cinema, which closed down in August 2005.
Under the plan, the exterior of the 1938 building would be retained, and a mezzanine and 38 commercial office suites installed.
The application will be decided at Monday's planning committee and several councillors say it is likely to go ahead.
"There's a fair chance it will be supported by the committee," John McInerney said yesterday.
Cr McInerney said he did not want to see the building remain vacant. "I think it's acceptable," he said. "We are advised that the main parts of the building - the cinema itself - will be subdivided and will be able to be turned back into a cinema if someone decided in the future to do that."

Read the full article from The Sydney Morning Herald here.

Valhalla sells for office space

by Garry Maddox, Sydney Morning Herald

"A SYDNEY film icon, the Valhalla cinema in Glebe, has screened its last movie after being sold to a property developer. It had been passed in at auction late last year, but the arthouse operation has sold for $2.95 million to W Property for conversion into offices.
The cinema closed last August with its long-time owner and manager, Chris Kiely, blaming the popularity of DVDs and the poor quality of recent releases. Mr Kiely said he was relieved to finally sell. "The sadness was last year when the realisation hit that it could never be a goer again," he said. The new owners plan to retain the exterior and foyer in an office development aimed at the "creative sector" including architects and the film industry.
Built in 1937 and used at times for theatre and music, the Valhalla thrived as an avant-garde cinema for film buffs in the 1980s. "In those days, we were getting 300 people for a double feature," Mr Kiely said.

Read the full article from The Sydney Morning Herald here.

Redevlopment steals piece of Sydney's culture

"Australia's urban landscape is changing dramatically. As our cities grow, new developments are springing up, replacing heritage buildings. And when the old buildings go, a piece of our culture goes with them.An old-fashioned boxing gym in inner-city Sydney will soon be gutted and redeveloped as units. It's no shining steel and mirrors affair, the Glebe Estate Community Centre is one of the last old-style boxing gyms left in Sydney. But as David Mark reports, boxing champions, rugby league and union players, Pat Rafter, and even the international media mogul Rupert Murdoch have trained there. ..."

Read the full transcript from the ABC's "The World Today" here.